Helen S. Otterness

East Greenbush - Helen S. Otterness, 97, of East Greenbush, NY, passed away peacefully on August 6, 2024. Helen was born on June 24, 1927, to Sue E. Travers and James W. Damarell in Syracuse, NY.

Helen earned her Associate Degree in Art from Green Mountain College in 1948. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at Russell Sage College in 1983 and her Master of Science in Art Education from SUNY New Paltz in 1991. A devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Helen shared her zest for life with her beloved family. Nothing brought her more joy than having her family together, cooking wonderful meals for everyone, and sitting on her patio, enjoying her breath-taking morning glories and other splendid flowers.

Helen delighted in sharing her artistic talents and nurturing the talent of her beloved students. She taught art for many years at Altamont Elementary School, Fort Hunter Elementary School, Loudonville Christian School, and Van Schaick Elementary School in Cohoes. She also instructed elementary students and adults in private art lessons.

Helen was an active member of the Colonie Art League, the East Bank Arts Alliance, the National Colored Pencil Society, and the National Art League. She truly saw the world with the eyes of an artist, with a deep appreciation of the beauty in nature, architecture, and people. Helen believed that drawing was fundamental. She maintained that it involved the discipline of the mind, eye, and hand all working together. To her, there was so much beauty to express and share through drawing. She specialized in drawing portraits, animal portraits, buildings, flowers, and landscapes, and enjoyed exhibiting her art at art shows and local libraries.

She was an animal lover and provided a loving home to many cats over the years. She also loved being outdoors, enjoying all of God’s creations. She was especially fond of the snow, and often reminisced about the snow-blanketed days of her childhood years and college years in Vermont. Helen enjoyed exploring the world, having made trips to Japan, England, Hungary, Austria, Norway, and the Czech Republic. These trips often provided inspiration for later works of art. She was a devout Christian and long-time member of First Church in Albany.

Helen was predeceased by her parents, longtime companion Louis Ismay, her brother John (Jack), her sister Dorothy, and her daughter-in-law Carolyn. She is survived by her children Richard Otterness, Paul (Monica Mahaffey) Otterness, Randi Otterness, and Lisa (Michael) Coons, her grandchildren Anne Otterness, Mary (Daniel) Halloran, Matthew Coons, Ryan Coons, Christopher Johnson, and her great-grandchildren Eva, Susannah, and Daniel Halloran.

Calling hours will be on Thursday, August 29 from 4:00-5:30 p.m. at Cannon Funeral Home, 2020 Central Ave., Colonie with a Memorial Service immediately following. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society.